Shuttle check for looms



March 11, 1941.

E. R; HOLMES 2,234,597 SHUTTLE CHECK FOR LOOMS Filed April 19, 1940 "0RU n m l B 86 6 W 15 8 I EP-E -E I 3- .2? l 122 8 ilLfm, 52 I 0 Z0 2. fl 58 I 4 a8 m,

26 5 25 a1 IO 54 INVEN TOR ELaRuoa: R. HOLMES awwxwr .ATTORNEY PatentedMar. 11, 1941 PATENT OFFICE SHUTTLE CHECK FOR LOOMS Elbridge R. Holmes,Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester,Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 19, 1940, SerialNo. 330,549

9 Claims.

shuttle checks for looms and it is the general object of the inventionto provide an improved shuttle check which employs an inclosed volume ofair which is progressively compressed as the shuttle is boxed.

It is desirable to retard the speed of a shuttle as it nears the ends ofits flight in such a way as to avoid abrupt changes in the shuttle speedto prevent unwinding of the yarn from the bobbin. It is also desirableto apply the retarding force uniformly so that the work done in bringingthe shuttle to rest may be distributed evenly over the time of checkingand also the frictional surfaces which retard the shuttle. It is animportant object of my present invention to accomplish these results bythe use of a normally closed elastic tube, such as rubber, containing avolume of air the pressure of which is increased progressively by theshuttle as it moves into the shuttle box.

It is also desirable to give indication to the protectormechanism of theloom as early as possible and this result I accomplish by means of asmall arm or lever to engage the shuttle not only for the purpose ofgiving indication to the protector mechanism, but also to serve as asnubber and shuttle director to guide the shuttle into the shuttle boxfor correct engagement with a flexible body associated with the rubbertube. This body may prefer-ably be a leather strap which is interposedbetween the shuttle and the rubber tube to prevent the latter fromhaving direct rubbing contact with the shuttle.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein two forms of my invention are setforth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of the loom having thepreferred form of my invention applied thereto with the shuttle in theshuttle box,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1showing the shuttle completely boxed,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an end elevation on an enlarged scale in the direction ofarrow 4, Fig. 1, v

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View showing amodified form of my inventionwith the shuttle approaching the shuttle box, and

This invention relates to improvements in.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but with the shuttle in the processof being checked.

Referring to the drawing, the loom includes a frame I0, breast beam II,and lay L having the usual reed R. The lay is supported on lay swords 12one of which is shown in Fig. 1. The lay is extended beyond the loomsideand has mounted thereon a shuttle box B as seen for instance in Figs. 1and 2. The rear part of the shuttle box is defined by a box back or wallI3 secured to the lay, while the front part is defined by structure tobe described hereinafter and forming 'more particularly the subjectmatter of my pres.-

ent invention. For present purposes this front wall of the box may bedesignated at M. The lay is provided with a picker spindle 15 alongwhich slides a picker l6 propelled by a picker stick ll to move thepicker and shuttle to the left as viewed in Fig. 2. The lay may beprovided with the usual picker back stop I 8.

The lay has mounted thereon a protector rod surrounded by a torsionspring Zl, the effect of which is to move rearwardly an uprightprotector'finger 22 secured to the protector rod. Except as indicatedhereinafter the protector rod and its finger may be of the usualconstruction and operates in the customary manner to stop the loom ifthe shuttle fails to enter the shuttle box B at the proper time duringthe forward beat of the lay.

Depending from the outer end of the lay is a bearing 25 in which isjournaled a shaft 26 the inner end of which turns in a-bearing 21mounted on the lay sword l2. Secured to the shaft is a rearwardlyextending arm 28 having a finger 29 which extends between the top andbottom rods 30 of-a lay connector. These rods are connected to a crosshead 3| which is pivoted as at 32 to the lay sword. The connector rods30 are attached 1 to the crank of a shaft not shown which has a completerotation for each beat of the loom and during loom operation the rods 30will rise and fall as indicated inthe full and dotted lines in Fig. 4due to the rotation of the crank. In this way shaft 26 is caused to rockin a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow at in Fig. 4 when theconnector rods 30 rise during forward motion Of the lay. 50

A pressure arm 35 is pivoted as at 36 for free rotation on the shaft 26between the bearing 25 and the hub 31 of a power arm 38 secured to theshaft 26 as by set screw 39. A relatively heavy compression spring 40 islocated between the power arm 38 and pressure arm 35, as indicated inFig. 4.

During loom operation the rods will be down when the lay is on bottomcenter and advancing, thereby holding lever and arm 38 rearwardly tooffer considerable resistance to forward motion of box front or binder I4 at a time when the shuttle is entering the shuttle box. As the laymoves forwardly, the rods rise and move the arm 33 forwardly and. as thelay starts rearwardly the rods continue to rise to cause still furthermovement of the arm 38. When the lay reaches top center and the shuttleis picked, most if not all of the rearwardly acting force has beenrelieved, permitting the shuttle to be picked easily.

The matter thus far described may be of wellknown construction and ofitself forms no part of my present invention. The arm 28 and partscontrolled thereby may be as shown in patent to Santon No. 2,045,967, towhich reference may be had for a further understanding of the variablepressure exerted on binder l4.

My present invention relates to means to arrest the motion of theshuttle as it enters the shuttle box by means of an air cushion and twoforms of the invention are set forth in the drawing, the preferred formemploying an air valve by which the initial pressure of air within theclosed rubber cell can be altered, while the modified form shows aclosed cell containing air under a predetermined initial pressure andwherein variations in the pressure are obtained by mechanicaladjustments of the parts associated with the cell.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the previously describedbinder I4 moves about a pivot on the lay. A sheet steel strap 5| issecured to the opposite end of the binder and receives the rearwardpressure of an adjusting screw 52 on arm 35. The outer end of the strap5| has passing therethrough a bolt 53 held to a fixed part 54 of the layby lock nut 55. An adjustable rear stop nut 55 on bolt 53 limitsrearward motion of the strap 5| and therefore of the adjacent part ofthe binder l4, while a forward stop nut 5! adjustable on the bolt limitsfrontward motion of the strap 5| and the binder.

.Secured as at 6D to the front part of the inner end of the binder I4 isa leather strap 6| which follows the general contour shown in Fig. 2 andis attached as at 52 to the forward part of the opposite end of thebinder. This strap 6| is spaced from the rear vertical face 55 of thebinder Hi to define a spacein which is located an elastic rubber tube10. This tube or cell is provided with a valve H by means of whichpressure.

the pressure of the air within the cell can be varied. The valve may beform-ed after the manner customary in tires and includes a stem 12 heldby a nut 13 and washer 14 to the front vertical'wall of the cell 10. Thestem 12 extends forwardly through the binder l4 and is held in positionby a lock nut 15. The binder l4 may be made of wood and acts with strap6| as suggested in Fig. 3 to hold the cell 70 in position.

In the modified form of the invention the parts are as already describedwith the exception that the valve is omitted and the front wall of themodified cell designated at in Fig. 5 may be secured to the binder 8|,similar to binder M, in any approved manner, as by cement.

The cell 80 will be made under conditions whichpermit the trappingtherein of air under any desired I'have found that ten poundsair-pressure within the cells will give satisfactory operation.

In both forms of the invention it is desirable to make provision foroperating the protector rod 28. In carrying this part of my inventioninto effect I provide a small lever pivoted to the lay at 86 and formedwith a rearwardly curved surface 81 which normally projects into thepath of the shuttle, as suggested in Fig. 5. Lever 85 has a forwardlyprojected lug 88 positioned for engagement with the arm 22 secured tothe protector rod. The lever 85 may be the same for both forms of theinvention and is located near the mouth of the shuttle box so that itwill be rocked on its pivot by the advancing nose of the shuttle whenthe latter first enters the shuttle box. The protector rod spring 2|resists forward motion of the lever 85 and as a result of thisresistance the shuttle will be moved toward the back of the shuttle boxshould it by any circumstance approach the shuttle box out of contactwith the box back l3.-

The operation of both formsof the invention is essentially the same.When the shuttle is out of the box the natural tendency for the cells'10 and 80 to become circular in cross section will bow the leatherstrap rearwardly as indicated for instance in Fig. 5, where the strapprojects into the path of the shuttle. As the shuttle approaches the boxit engages the protector actuating snubbe'r '85 and moves it forwardlyto rock the protector rod 20 to permit continued running of the loom. Asthe shuttle continues into the shuttle box it will engage the leatherstrap and deform it as well as the adjacent part of the rubber cell, asindicated for instance in Fig. 6. This deformation of the rubber cellincreases the pressure of'the air within the rubber tube, and as theshuttle continues to move into the box the rubber tube suffers more andmore deformation with corresponding increases in the pressure of theconfined air.

Throughout the boxing operation of the shuttle the arm 35 is heldrearwardly so that the right end of the binder I l as viewed forinstance in Fig. 2 is prevented from moving forwardly. The gradualincrease of pressure within the rubber cell is due to the fixed positionof the binder I4 relatively to the lay and acts to bring the shuttle torest gradually and with smooth deceleration. After the lay has reachedfront center posiamend starts backwardly, the pressure on arm 35 will berelieved as already described and the metallic strap 5! will moveforwardly to the dotted line position because of the pressure of the airwithin the rubber cell. The pressure on the shuttle is thereby reducedand it may be picked out of the shuttle box against a resistance verymuch lower than that which was offered to its entrance into the shuttlebox.

In the preferred'form of the invention variations in the shuttlechecking effect of the rubber cell can be effected by changing thepressure of the air within the cell by use of the valve 'H and asuitable air pump not shown. In the modified form of the invention,however, the valve is omitted and Variations in the pressure areobtained by adjusting a pressure screw 52with respect to the arm 35,screw 52 being moved rearwardly when it is desired toincrease thepressure and forwardly when the pressure is to be 'reduced. In bothforms of the invention, 'nuts 56 and 51 limit the rear and frontpositions, respectively, of the binder [4. a

The leather strap 6l s'erves 'as a protection to prevent rubbing contactbetween the shuttle and the rubber cell, and the fact that increases inthe pressure of the confined air are communicated throughout theinterior of the cell causes those parts of the leather strap 6| whichengage the shuttle during the latter part of its boxing to offer greaterresistance to the shuttle than exists during initial stages of shuttleboxing. A desirable feature observed in the operation of my invention isthe comparative silence of the shuttle check during loomoperation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple andeifective shuttle check including as an active checking agent a rubbertube or cell in which is confined air the pressure of which is increasedas the shuttle is boxed to offer increasing resistance to shuttlemotion. It will also be seen that the leather strap 6| interposedbetween the rubber cell and the shuttle prevents sliding contact betweenthe shuttle and the cell which would wear the latter. It will further beseen that provision is made for varying the pressure of the air withinthe rubber cell during the shuttle checking operation, this variationbeing efiected in the preferred form by means of a valve H, and in themodified form by adjustment of the pressure screw 52. Furthermore, thesnubber lever absorbs some of the energy of the shuttle and assists indirecting the shuttle against the shuttle box back.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wishto be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and a shuttlebox thereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward andenters the shuttle box, a binder mounted on the lay and forming one sideof the shuttle box, and a closed soft and flexible rubber tube mountedon the binder and inclosing a volume of air and projecting into the pathof the shuttle as the latter enters the shuttle box, the shuttledeforming the tube as said shuttle enters the box to increase thepressure of the air inclosed within the tube to cause the latter tooffer resistance to movement of the shuttle into the shuttle box.

2. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and shuttle boxthereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward andenters the shuttle box, a binder on the lay forming part of the shuttlebox, a closed soft and flexible rubber tube carried by the binder andprojecting into the shuttle box and into the path of the shuttleentering the shuttle box, said rubber tube being engaged by and deformedby the shuttle as the latter enters the shuttle box to subject the airinclosed within the tube to increasing pressure to ofier increasingresistance to the shuttle as the same moves into the shuttle box.

3. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and shuttle boxthereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward andenters the shuttle box, a binder mounted on the lay and forming one sideof the shuttle box, a flexible leather strap secured to the binder andextending along and projecting into the shuttle box, and a closed softand flexible rubber tube between the leather strap and the binderinclosing a volume of air, the shuttle when entering the shuttle boxdeforming the leather and the tube to place the air within said tubeunder increased pressure to resist movement of the shu'ttle'into theshuttle box.

4. In shuttle checkingmechanism for a loom having a lay and shuttle boxthereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward andenters the shuttle box, a binder carried by the lay and forming a partof the shuttle box, a flexible strap extending along and projecting intothe shuttle box and spaced from the binder, and a flexible rubber .tubeconfining a volume of air located between the flexible strap and thebinder, said strap projecting into the path of the shuttle and theshuttle deforming said strap and rubber tube to subject the inclosed airwithin the tube to increased pressure to thereby ofier increasedresistance to movement of the shuttle into the shuttle box.

5. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and shuttle boxthereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward andenters the shuttle box, a binder mounted on the lay and forming part ofthe shuttle box, a closed soft and flexible rubber tube extending alongthe binder between the latter and the center of the shuttle box andprojecting into the path of the shuttle, and an air valve for the rubbertube, the latter containing a volume of air which may be varied byreason of the air valve and the shuttle when entering the shuttle boxdeforming the rubber tube to subject the air inclosed therein to'increased pressure to resist movement of the shuttle into the shuttlebox.

6. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and shuttle boxthereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward andenters the shuttle box, a binder mounted on the lay and extending alongand forming part of the shuttle box, a flexible rubber tube extendingalong the binder between the latter and the center of the shuttle box,and an air valve for the rubber tube extending through and supported bythe binder, the rubber tube being deformed by the shuttle as the latterenters the box to increase the pressure of the air within the tube andthereby resist movement of the shuttle into the shuttle box, the valveaffording means for varying the initial pressure of the air within therubber tube.

7. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and shuttle boxthereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the lay toward andenters the shuttle box, a binder mounted on the lay and extending alongand forming part of the shuttle box, means to vary the lateral positionof the binder relatively to the lay to alter the width of the shuttlebox, and a closed elastic rubber tube confining a volume of air betweenthe binder and the center of the shuttle box, said tube projecting intothe path of the shuttle and being deformed by the latter as the sameenters the shuttle box to increase the pressure of the air inclosedwithin the tube, the pressure of the air within the tube being due inpart to the location of the binder as determined by said means.

8. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom shuttle 'box and projectinginto the path of the shuttle as the latter enters the shuttle box, andmeans moving toward said path when the lay is moving toward front centerposition to move the rubber tube into said path and to cause the shuttleto deform the rubber tube and increase the pressure of air containedtherein to resist movement of the shuttle into the shuttle box, saidmeans subsequently moving away from the said path to lessen the pressureof air within said rubber tube as the lay moves away from front centerposition preparatory to picking of the shuttle out of the shuttle box.

9.' In a shuttle checking mechanism for a loom havin'ga lay and ashuttle box thereon to receive a shuttle which travels along the laytoward and enters the shuttle box, a binder mounted on the lay andforming one side of the shuttle box, and a closed soft and elastic tubesubstantially impenetrable by air mounted on the binder and inclosing avolume of air and projecting into the path of the shuttle as the latterenters the shuttle box, the shuttle deforming the tube as said shuttleenters the box to increase the pressure of the air inclosed within thetube to cause the latter to offer resistance to movement of the shuttleinto the shuttle box.

ELBRIDGE R. HOLMES.

